


Second Chances

by Aviss



Category: Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-17
Updated: 2010-02-17
Packaged: 2017-10-07 08:31:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/63293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aviss/pseuds/Aviss
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Missing scene after the Engarde case; because we know they had lots of other things to talk about</p>
            </blockquote>





	Second Chances

**   
**

Phoenix Wright couldn't remember a single day of his entire life he had felt more tired and weary; he could hardly keep his eyes open on his way back home after the _celebration_ diner. Maybe he shouldn't have let Gumshoe convince him of having that fourth glass of wine.

It was true they had things to celebrate. Maya was alive and well, Gumshoe was also well after his accident, and Von Karma suffered only minor injuries after being shot. And even if he had lost the trial, he was glad Engarde was going to be confined for a long, long time--forever, if they were lucky. It had been a long and trying case with a happy ending.

Why then, did he feel like that? It wasn't just the physical weariness, though his body was feeling the strain of three days with little to no sleep and late night investigations. It was more the stress of the whole situation combined with _his_ return.

That was the root of the problem. Edgeworth. Why did he have to come back now? Actually, why the hell did he have to come back at all? Phoenix had already grieved him and was ready to move on with his life, and now what? Where did his return left him?

Back to square one. No, even worse than that.

It had taken him a whole year to get over the _death_ of the other man, wondering all that time if there was something he could have done to prevent it; but now he had to face the truth. Edgeworth wasn't dead, he had just left him. He went away without a second thought, without an explanation. And he had come back in much the same fashion, not caring if he was going to disrupt everyone's lives, not apologizing.

Phoenix knew it was pathetic just being happy he was alive.

He would have given anything to know why he left and why he was back now. Not the explanation he had given everyone--Prosecutor shame. Perfect record destroyed. Need to find why he stood on the court room--that one he knew and could agree with on some level.

It was the other one he needed to know. Why leaving him without a simple goodbye? Why let him believe he had killed himself? Did he ever wonder what effect would it have on Phoenix's life? Obviously not. And that led to other train of thought. Did he care about Phoenix at all? Did those months together meant so little to Edgeworth he could just start anew without looking back? Apparently, he could.

Feeling depressed all of a sudden with his own thoughts, Phoenix arrived home. Three attempts to get the key inside the key lock told him he was a bit drunker than he thought. _Good, at least like this I will sleep better._

However, as soon a he stumbled through the door, Phoenix knew sleeping was out of the question. He wasn't alone.

Sitting on his favourite couch under the window was Edgeworth, cool as you please and waiting for him with an expression of weary patience. Phoenix didn't need to ask how he got into the flat, the answer was glinting on top of the coffee table next to the couch. The key.

He had wondered sometimes during the past year where that key was and why didn't they find it among Edgeworth's possessions. Phoenix wasn't sure now if not changing the lock had been the smartest move, but at the time doing it had felt like completely letting go of Edgeworth. And he had not been ready to do that.

_I should have,_ he thought annoyed.

They stared at each other in silence for a minute, Phoenix paralyzed from shock and Edgeworth simply waiting. For what, he didn't know.

The stalemate ended when the front door slammed shut, startling Phoenix into moving--and then he blushed, realizing it had actually been him who closed the door.

Taking his coat off and putting his suitcase next to the door, he turned again to look at Edgeworth. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice sounding as tired as he felt.

"I was beginning to think you were not coming back, Wright," Edgeworth said as if he had not spoken at all, and Phoenix felt the anger burning away some of his weariness. It was always like that when dealing with Edgeworth, just one sentence was enough to ignite his temper.

"Why are you here, Edgeworth?" he asked one more time, standing in the middle of his living room. With only the light coming through the window to illuminate his face, the other man looked as pale and tired as a corpse. Phoenix was unable to take his eyes off him--some part of his brain was telling him it was just a dream, and that he would disappear again in a puff of smoke. Like all the previous times.

Edgeworth looked down at his hands, choosing not to answer the question once again. "You look tired, Wright. Have you all been out celebrating till now? You should know better."

"What. Do. You. Want. Edgeworth?" he grounded, feeling more and more annoyed.

"I wanted to congratulate you," he said, still not looking at him.

"What for?" he asked, puzzled. Most of the times it was difficult to understand what Edgeworth meant, but now it seemed bloody impossible. "I lost, in case you didn't realize," Phoenix snapped. He should be used to it by now, but talking to the other man always made him lose control over his mouth. "Remember the case? My client, the psychotic killer, you sent him to prison just today."

"I know that, Wright." A sigh, almost as if Edgeworth was running out of patience. "I wanted to congratulate you for saving Maya, and also for not giving in and choosing the easy way out. It took courage to say your client was guilty."

"He _was_ guilty," Phoenix sighed as well; that conversation was tiresome and he didn't want to have it. He had the exact same one with Von Karma--well, maybe not exact same one, she was gloating over his defeat--over diner. There were other things he wanted to discuss with Edgeworth.

"Yes, but he was also your client," he insisted.

"Drop it, Edgeworth; we have different views of justice, obviously." He closed his eyes, wondering how it was possible that he could see Edgeworth's face still imprinted on the back of his lids. "I am exhausted. It has been a long trial, and I just had more wine that it was wise. I want to go to sleep. Why are you here?"

When he opened them Edgeworth was looking straight at him, his expression unreadable. "I needed to talk to you," he said, and Phoenix allowed himself a small hope that they could salvage some part of their old relationship. "and I wanted to return your key."

It took all his remaining energy not to flinch.

So there was no chance for them, no way they could go back how it was before.

"Right. Key," he said, his mouth working in autopilot while his mind ran in circles trying to find a way to make Edgeworth want him again. He couldn't find it. "Can't that conversation wait till tomorrow? I'm dead tired."

Edgeworth nodded and stood up, something like disappointment flickering in his expression for an instant. "I'll leave then, Wright."

Phoenix just stood there, not moving while Edgeworth walked to the door.

_Say something, say something._ he told himself urgently. _Anything._

But his mouth seemed to be frozen and his throat was dry. No words were coming out.

"I'm so sorry, Phoenix," Edgeworth whispered as he walked past him, so soft he was sure it wasn't meant to be heard.

It was the use of his name what finally made him snap.

He had been able to keep his cool while Edgeworth was being distant and professional, even if it had cost him dearly. He could also be professional in the court room and in front of their friends. He had even been able to hold onto his sanity with him in his living room acting so superior.

But enough was enough. Edgeworth was not going to run away again leaving Phoenix feeling like shit.

With a strength he had been sure was completely spent by that time, he grabbed the other man's arm before he reached the door and forcibly made him turn to face him. "I've changed my mind; we're having this conversation now," He spat to his face, right before pushing him against the door and then making any kind of conversation impossible kissing him.

Edgeworth resisted for a while, but Phoenix was not going to be moved. Pressing his body firmly against the other man, he kept kissing, brushing their lips together, almost as if asking for permission. When he realized Edgeworth was still putting up some resistance, he changed to a more forceful approach. Not in the mood for niceties, he just pushed past Edgeworth's soft lips and invaded his mouth, mapping it and letting their tongues get re-acquainted.

Edgeworth gave in with a sigh that sounded like a moan, and Phoenix could feel his body relaxing against him while he kissed back.

Much as he liked that, he knew they really had to have the conversation. Reluctantly, he finished the kiss and looked at Edgeworth. The other man was panting lightly, his lids half closed and an expression of wonder on his face.

"Phoenix…"

"Now, we talk," he said, still close enough to feel Edgeworth's breath against his mouth. He saw how his expression shuttered immediately upon hearing those words, a wary look on his eyes, but he pressed on anyway. "I guess the first thing would be why did you go away?"

Edgeworth's entire body went stiff, and he narrowed his eyes. _Now is when he bolts._ And as he expected, he felt the push and resisted it. Putting both hands on either side of Edgeworth's head, he leaned closer. "No, you're not leaving until you tell me." And he kissed him again.

It seemed to be the only effective way of quieting him down. After a few seconds, both of them were panting and thinking was becoming more and more difficult.

"Right. Answers. Now," Phoenix said with some effort, pulling apart and resting his forehead against Edgeworth's. He felt the other man struggle. "Stop it," He snapped. "We're not going to play that game tonight. You wanted to talk, so talk."

Edgeworth glared hotly at him, but at that distance it was hardly impressive.

"What--"

"Why did you leave?" Phoenix insisted before he had the chance to start again with the same evasive.

Narrowing his eyes even more, Edgeworth tried to push him away again. "I already told you. I needed to find out why I stood up in court."

Pushing back with his whole body, Phoenix refused to let go. "No, not the edited version. I want the truth."

"That's the truth!" Edgeworth shouted, finally losing it.

Part of him was pleased, Edgeworth was easier to trick into giving him the answers he wanted if he was angry. The rest of him was just getting really pissed off.

"Then I'll change the question. Why did you leave _me_?"

Edgeworth eyes' had a haunted look before he covered it with the usual annoyance. "You know why. Do I need to repeat myself continuously?"

Gritting his teeth not to shout too, Phoenix pressed more. "No, I don't know why."

"I told you--"

"No. You didn't." he was close to losing it now. Edgeworth was really stubborn when he wanted to. "You told _us_ why you had to leave your job, and the city. That doesn't explain why you left _me_"

"Same thing," Edgeworth said coldly, a defiant look on his eyes.

This time he flinched. "Same thing?" he said, not believing what he had heard. "Same bloody thing?"

Now he was shouting, specks of spit flying from his mouth and his voice so loud he knew the neighbours were going to complain in the morning.

"Is that what I meant to you?"

Edgeworth seemed to realize his mistake. "Wright, I'm--"

"No, don't say you're sorry again," He said, releasing his hold on Edgeworth and taking a step back. "Clearly you didn't care about me at all. You left. You even left a fucking suicide note!" he had never felt so hurt in his life, thinking the other man was dead had been hard, but this was way worse. "What are you doing here tonight? Why come back to my house? You could have given me the key in court, or send it to me."

"Wright--"

"Go." Phoenix retreated a bit more, leaving enough space for him to open the door and get out of his house and hopefully his life.

"Wright, you don't unders--"

"Go now, Edgeworth."

Edgeworth looked down, and took a step from the door. Phoenix closed his eyes, exhausted. The perfect ending for the perfect day. Just his bloody luck. When no door closing was heard for a minute, he opened his eyes again.

Edgeworth was still with his back to the door, just two steps away from it, his face a conflict of emotions. He had never seen the other man look so lost.

"I told you to leave, Edgeworth. I don't want to see your face right now."

The other man looked crushed for a second, and Phoenix felt his fury spiking up again. Edgeworth had no right to be hurt by his words. "Oh, right. I forgot you hate me now."

Phoenix couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was Edgeworth being deliberately hurtful or he was really so oblivious?

Again he grabbed him before he could cross the door, and again he slammed him against it, with maybe more force than necessary. Edgeworth winced.

"Hate you? You are a moron, Edgeworth," He shouted, his face inches away from the other man's. "Would I care if you live or die if I hated you? Would I care what you think of me? I fucking love you, you heartless bastard, that's the problem."

_That must have been the alcohol talking,_ he thought. And before his mouth could act again without input from his brain, he kissed him.

This time there was no resistance, but he wasn't kissing back either. Edgeworth seemed to be stiff with shock, and as responsive as a doll. Taking advantage of this, Phoenix dragged him to the bedroom and guided him to the bed.

That seemed to get a response. "No, this is not what I--"

Taking his mouth again in a kiss, Phoenix cut his protest short, his hands busy undressing him with practice.

"Wright, no--" the words trailed off in a moan when he started kissing and biting his neck. Edgeworth was weakly pushing at him, trying to move him with his hands while his body was drawing closer.

Phoenix disposed of both their shirts and went back to what he was doing. He looked at Edgeworth's face before pushing him down on to the bed: he looked panicked and completely at a loss, his face flushed with either pleasure or embarrassment, his mouth slightly open, and his lips glistening and swollen from the kiss.

"I've missed this, Miles."

"Wright, we shouldn't--"

"Shut it, Miles." He bit down on Edgeworth's neck to emphasize his point, and he felt the shudder that coursed the other body. Smiling against the skin, he continued his ministrations.

"You" pant "said" pant "you" groan, pant "wanted to talk." moan.

"Too late for that now," he said, his hands unzipping Edgeworth's trousers and getting them out of the way. His followed inmediately afterward. "And anyway, we fight everytime we talk."

"Please, Phoenix--" Edgeworth threw his head back and moaned when Phoenix settled himself in between his legs, crushing their groins together. He was glad to find an answering hardness there. "don't do this--let's talk."

"You don't look like you want to talk now, Miles," He said kissing him again.

This time Edgeworth kissed back, their tongues engaging on a little conversation of their own while their bodies rubbed against each other.

"It's been too long since last time, Miles," he said against the other mouth, his hands touching every inch of skin available on their way down, until they finally reached their destination.

Edgeworth startled at the first touch on his arse, tensing slightly and trying to pull away. "Phoenix--" his voice broke into a long moan when the first finger breached him, a note of pain in it. "Phoenix!"

Too far gone to be really careful, Phoenix just reached into the nightstand to put on a condom while he continued stretching his lover, marvelling at his display of ability multitasking in that situation.

"Phoenix, stop," Edgeworth's voice had a note of panic on it, but at that moment he couldn't care less. The emotional rollercoaster that had been the day, plus the alcohol still coursing his body had his mind in a haze. The only thing he knew was that after a year Miles was back in his bed. If it was another dream, he had all the intention of enjoying it before it was time to wake up.

He positioned himself carefully and pushed just slightly inside; under him Edgeworth went rigid and a hoarse cry left his lips. Gently, Phoenix bent over him and kissed him tenderly, murmuring sweet nothings against his mouth. After a few seconds he continued pushing past the resistance in the other body, until he was fully inside.

"Phoenix," Mile's voice was laced with pain. "please, don't move yet."

It was a request he couldn't ignore. He took his time exploring his lover's mouth while he got used to the intrusion. Soon the kisses were turning frantic and their breathing became laboured.

"Move."

This time he was more than happy to obey. He began thrusting slowly and deeply, as if he was trying to bury himself inside the other body with each thrust. Edgeworth was clinging to him now, his breath ragged, his voice hoarse, matching him thrust for thrust.

It didn't last enough. He wanted it to go on forever, so it didn't last enough. With a curse, Phoenix came, all his energy draining out of him. He had enough presence of mind to realize his lover hadn't come, and kissing him deeply, he curled his hand around Edgeworth's cock and stroked him. He was almost unconscious when he felt the wetness spread over his hand.

"Love you," He muttered, and then he knew no more.

...

Phoenix dreamt of voices. There was Edgeworth's voice next to his ear telling him he loved him, that he had to go to find himself, that he had been a coward unable to say goodbye because he knew that if he saw Phoenix he would never go through with it.

"In the end I couldn't do it anyway. I kept seeing your face, and the idea of not seeing you ever again was worse than facing shame or death."

Phoenix also dreamt of warmth. There was the warmth of a lover embracing him, a lover who fit so perfectly with him he felt complete. It was warmth he would not forget even if he never experienced it again.

Phoenix didn't want to have to wake up to his lonely bed and lonely life, so he sank deeper into the dream mumbling his lover's name on his sleep.

...

Phoenix opened his eyes and regretted it immediately. He wasn't sure who got into his head and decided to start a percussion band, but he would be really grateful if they stopped it. Groaning, he slit his eyes against the glare of the sun. He couldn't believe he had gone to bed without closing the blinds. He must have been more tired than he thought after the trial--

The trial!

Everything came back to him suddenly. Engarde's trial. Maya. Von Karma. Gumshoe.

_Edgeworth._

The rest of the events of the previous night came back a bit slower. Edgeworth waiting for him. The fight. And then he had--oh, fuck. He had royally screwed up everything, and there wasn't going to be a turnabout this time. Not if his empty bed was any indication of how Edgeworth felt about the events of the night before.

With some effort, Phoenix got up and went to the living room. Everything was exactly as they left it, even the key resting on top of the coffee table.

Any hope he might have had was promptly dashed. Edgeworth's coat was gone, the key was still there, and there was no note for him. So he had left. Again. And this time he had no one but himself to blame.

More depressed than he had been in a long time, he went to the bathroom. After cleaning himself a bit and taking some painkillers, he went back to bed. He didn't feel like getting up yet, or at all. What was he going to do now? Well, the first thing was apologizing. Not that it would make any difference, but the way he had treated Edgeworth the night before had no excuse.

_And what about the way he treated you?_ said a voice in his mind, a voice that sounded petulant and childish even to him. _And besides, I didn't see him complaining or trying to run away._

He was dozing off when a loud knock on the door startled him. Grumbling he turned on the bed and closed his eyes again. Whoever was knocking had no intention of going away, as it became apparent after a minute of that infernal noise.

Snarling, he rushed to the door and wrenched it open with a curse on his mouth--to stare at a scowling Edgeworth.

"I forgot the take the bloody key," he said entering the flat as if nothing had happened. Phoenix followed him completely dumbfounded while Edgeworth took off his coat and moved to the kitchen to put on the coffee. "I had to wait close to half an hour for the pastries to be ready; had I known that, I would have gone to the other shop."

His eyes were seeing the bag with the pastries, his favourite ones, but his mind was not able to process the information. Eyes wide, he stared at Edgeworth while he was busy in the kitchen making coffee.

He hadn't left.

For some reason Edgeworth was not running away afther what he did. He was still there, preparing breakfast and buying Phoenix' favourite pastries as if they were--yes, the word was lovers.

Speechless with wonder, Phoenix went to him and just hugged him from behind, resting his head on Edgeworth's shoulder. "I thought you left," he whispered, afraid of breaking the charm and making him dissapear if he spoke louder.

Edgeworth's hands rose to cover his, and they squeezed for a second.

"I did," Edgeworth admitted, "I got as far as the door downstairs."

He couldn't suppress the shiver that coursed his body, and he hugged the other man even tighter. "Forgive me, last night I wasn't--"

"No, it's me who has to apologize, I should have--" He could feel the trembling on Edgeworth's hands over his, and he had a second to feel amused at how bad both of them were with words outside the court. None of them seemed to be able to express their feelings.

There was a way he knew would get his feelings across, so he disentangled himself from the other man and made him turn around. Gently, he leaned in and brushed his lips over Edgeworth's. He responded immediately, pushing lightly at his lips and opening his mouth a bit, giving him the choice to deepen the kiss if he wanted.

He did.

Putting a hand on the nape of his neck, he held him tenderly while he tried to put all his feelings in the kiss. All the warmth he had dreamt about, and all the things he was unable to express, the fear of being left behind again, his happiness at seeing Miles coming back. All that he tried to put into sounds, and tastes, and feelings to pass on to the other man.

"Phoenix," Edgeworth panted, pulling back after some time. "the breakfast--"

"It can wait."

He undressed his lover on the way to bed, too impatient to have him again in his arms. And then he remembered the night before, and how rough he had been in his drunkenness.

His next kiss was an apology and a promise. He promised himself to always take care of Miles, to never hurt him again. He showered his body with kissed, paying attention to every inch of skin, to every curve and plane. His tongue remembered the taste of his lover's skin, and the smell and exact shape of his body. His hands followed the path marked by his mouth, tracing invisible patterns on Miles' skin until he was writhing and begging shamelessly.

"Phoenix, please."

This time their lovemaking was slow and sensual, limbs intertwined, slick bodies moving together, and heat, and pleas, and pressure. He made sure this time there was no pain for his lover. Miles was panting something that sounded like his name, and Phoenix' head was filled with the other man, his name, and his expressions, and his voice--he didn't know anymore which part was memory and which was reality.

Their climax came almost as a gentle wave, building up slowly and taking them with it.

When it was over, Phoenix curled his body around Edgeworth's and purred contentedly. He hadn't felt whole like that in a year.

"Phoenix, I--"

He remembered his dream from the night before, and the warmth spread also inside him. "I know."

"The breakfast--" he could hear the sleepiness in Miles' voice, and wondered if the other man got any sleep at all. Probably not.

"It can wait," he said, snuggling closer and closing his eyes. "let's just sleep a bit more, it's still early."

"But--"

"I want to wake up with you like before," he mumbled against Edgeworth's neck, and felt the other man giving in.

"Sleep then, Phoenix."

With a smile, he did just that.

Fin


End file.
